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Connecticut Sex Crimes Lawyer

Sex crimes arrests in Stamford, Greenwich, Darien, and anywhere else in Connecticut are taken very seriously by Connecticut prosecutors and police.

As any of the best Stamford criminal lawyers would acknowledge, sex crime arrests in Stamford, Greenwich and New Canaan for statutory rape, sexual assault, possession of child pornography, prostitution, patronizing prostitution and human trafficking often carry stiff mandatory minimum jail sentences. Additionally, an arrest for a Connecticut sex crime can result in fines, mandatory sex offender registration and a term of sex offender probation, which can be as difficult as serving a jail sentence. So if you are arrested for a sex crime in Stamford, Fairfield, Westport, Norwalk, Darien, New Canaan, or Greenwich, you should contact a top Stamford or Greenwich Connecticut sex assault / sex crime criminal lawyer to try and give you the best chance of fighting your charges and getting your Connecticut sex crime arrest dismissed. Statutory Rape Arrests in Stamford, Greenwich and Darien Connecticut

Statutory Rape

Statutory rape arrests in Stamford, Norwalk, Greenwich and Darien are some of the more frequently charged Connecticut sex crimes, as the crime of Statutory Rape casts a wide net over different categories of illegal sexual relationships. The Connecticut crime of statutory rape, also known as Second Degree Sexual Assault, is codified in C.G.S. 53a-71. This section of the Connecticut General Statutes makes it a crime to engage in sexual intercourse with an individual who cannot, by law, give valid consent. In Connecticut, someone’s age, mental capacity and the nature of their relationship with the person arrested in Stamford or Greenwich for statutory rape, are factors that legally affect their ability to give consent to engaging in sexual intercourse. As any of the best Greenwich Connecticut criminal lawyers are aware, the age at which someone can legally give consent in Connecticut is 16. It is therefore illegal to engage in sexual intercourse with a minor between ages 13 and 15, if you are more than three years older than that individual. However, even if a person is of legal age to consent to sexual contact, there are other factors, under Connecticut statutory rape law, that might invalidate their consent. One such factor is the nature of the participants’ relationship. For example, it is illegal for Connecticut teachers or coaches to have sex with their students, regardless of the student’s age.

Reduced mental capacity can also invalidate someone’s ability to consent to sexual intercourse. So if someone with whom you have sex is highly intoxicated, or suffers from Down’s Syndrome, Alzheimer’s, or another condition that severely affects their mental capacity, you can be arrested in Connecticut for statutory rape under Second Degree Sexual Assault laws per CGS 53a-71. To be clear, in cases of statutory rape, even if the victim consents to engage in sexual intercourse, you can be still be arrested in Connecticut for statutory rape. Explicit, verbal consent cannot be used as a defense in statutory rape cases because the law renders certain individuals unable to give their consent. As the best Stamford Connecticut criminal attorneys have observed, this can be a difficult concept for clients to grasp. Penalties for a conviction under statutory rape laws such as C.G.S. 53a-71 can be as severe as 20 years of incarceration, mandatory jail time, up to $15,000 in fines, sex offender probation, and mandatory sex offender registration. Click here for an in-depth discussion of statutory rape arrests in Greenwich, Danbury and Stamford Connecticut.

Sexual Assault and Rape Arrests in Connecticut

In addition to Second Degree Sexual Assault statutory rape arrests in Stamford, Greenwich and Wilton Connecticut, there are other degrees of sexual assault crimes in Connecticut, depending on the nature of sexual contact or intercourse, whether any form of duress is alleged, and the age of the parties involved. Thus, you can be arrested in Stamford, Greenwich or elsewhere in Connecticut for Sexual Assault in the First Degree, C.G.S. 53a-70 if you use force or threaten to use force, to accomplish sexual intercourse with an individual against their will. Sexual intercourse with someone under 13 years old if you are in excess of 2 years older than that person, also qualifies as first-degree sexual assault. As far as the non-intercourse sex assault crimes in Connecticut, you can be arrested in Westport, Danbury, or Ridgefield Connecticut for Third Degree Sexual Assault under CGS 53a-72a if you use force or threaten to use force to engage in unwanted sexual contact by touching another person’s intimate parts for your sexual gratification or the victim’s humiliation. Finally, Sexual Assault in the Fourth Degree, per C.G.S. 53a-73a, is the least serious of the sexual assault charges, and criminalizes non-intercourse sexual contact with someone who is unable to give consent, due to age, defect in mental capacity or a special relationship such as educator-student or physician-patient.

These sex crimes carry stiff penalties, including jail sentences of up to 20 years in some cases, fines, public sex offender registration, and sex offender probation, which is the most onerous and restrictive form of probation in Connecticut. Sex offender probation restricts your your travel, internet use, and ability to interact with children. So if you are arrested for rape or sex assault in Stamford, Greenwich, Darien or Fairfield Connecticut, then you should contact a top Connecticut criminal lawyer to discuss your options in preparing the best defense possible to your Connecticut sex assault arrest.

Prostitution Arrests in Connecticut

Whether you believe prostitution should be a crime or not, the fact remains that Prostitution is a Class A misdemeanor in Connecticut, as set forth in C.G.S. 53a-82. As a result, you can be arrested in Stamford, Greenwich, or Danbury Connecticut for Prostitution under CGS 53a-82 if you are found engaging in sexual conduct in exchange for payment. In fact, as the best Connecticut prostitution criminal lawyers would inform you, the mere offer to engage in sexual conduct in exchange for compensation is a crime. The penalties for a Prostitution arrest are a maximum 1 year in prison and a $2,000 fine. Click here for a detailed explanation of Connecticut’s Prostitution laws, along with thoughts for fighting your Connecticut prostitution arrest.

One last point—know that in their relentless campaign against sex shops and massage parlors, local law enforcement regularly conduct prostitution sting operations, keeping a close eye on Connecticut’s casinos and massage parlors. Successful sting operations can result in arrests of those engaged in prostitution, as well as their patrons. In a well-publicized 2014 sting operation, Stamford police, with the FBI’s assistance, brought down a Super Bowl prostitution and sex trafficking ring.

Patronizing Prostitution arrests in Stamford, Wilton, Westport and Greenwich Connecticut are typically humiliating to the “Johns” who are arrested in massage parlor sex sting operations in Fairfield County, Connecticut. The Connecticut crime of Patronizing Prostitution is codified in C.G.S. 53a-83. This law makes it illegal to pay any sum of money or other consideration to someone in exchange for sexual contact. In fact, even if you only offer to pay someone to engage in sexual conduct, without actually doing anything beyond that, you can still be arrested in Connecticut for Patronizing Prostitution under CGS 53a-83. Discreet massage parlors or online escort sites might give the illusion of an added layer of anonymity, but they are by no means exempt from local law enforcement’s aggressive sting operations. In fact, they are frequently monitored by sex crimes detectives. And although this crime is only a Class A misdemeanor, carrying a maximum one year jail sentence, an arrest in Connecticut for Patronizing Prostitution causes a great deal of embarrassment to you, your family and your employer, especially if you a well-regarded community member in one of Fairfield’s small towns. Click here to learn more about Patronizing Prostitution arrests in Connecticut, and how you can possibly get a Connecticut Patronizing Prostitution arrest dismissed as quickly as possible.

Possession of Child Pornography Arrests in Connecticut

As any of the best Westport, Stamford and Greenwich Connecticut child pornography criminal lawyers and attorneys would concede, Connecticut’s criminal laws for possessing child pornography are heavy-handed and flagrantly unfair, carrying absurd mandatory minimum jail sentences, even for first-time child pornography possession offenders. Arrests for Possession of Child Pornography in Stamford, Greenwich and other Connecticut cities usually start the same way—sex crimes detectives work with local cable providers to monitor pornographic file-sharing websites. They do this to secretly track and tag computers that are distributing, downloading and sharing suspected child pornography images. Once they identify which IP address is dealing in child pornography, Connecticut sex crimes detectives are able to quickly obtain search warrants that will allow them to identify the home or office of the suspect, and then allow police to storm into your home and seize your computers and laptops. They then have their forensic examiners search your computers for any illegal photos, videos, or computer-generated pictures.

The best Stamford Connecticut Child Pornography lawyers know that there are 3 degrees of Possession of Child Pornography crimes in Connecticut: (1) first degree possession C.G.S. 53a-196d (50 or more images); (2) second degree possession C.G.S. 53a-196e (20 to 49 images); and (3) third degree possession C.G.S. 53a-196f (less than 20). But regardless of the degree or number of child pornographic images found, an arrest for any of these three degrees is a felony that carries mandatory day-for-day jail time. Click here for an in-depth discussion of Possession of Child Pornography arrests in Stamford, Greenwich, Darien and Westport Connecticut, where we walk you through the laws and penalties, as well as touch on some of the most effective defense strategies in this very heavy-handed area of Connecticut criminal law.

Importing Child Pornography Arrests in Connecticut

An arrest that goes hand-in-hand with most Possession of Child Pornography arrests in Stamford Connecticut is Importing Child Pornography under C.G.S. 53a-196c. But what exactly is importing? Connecticut criminal law defines it as the actual downloading of child pornography, as opposed to just possessing or storing them. As a result, you can get arrested in Connecticut for Importing Child Pornography if you—with the intention to promote child pornography—download 3 or more images that depict minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. A key element that distinguishes this crime from a Possession of Child Pornography arrest in Stamford or Greenwich Connecticut is that importing child pornography requires an intention to promote child pornography. Unfortunately, the law can presume intent exists when you share the illegal pornographic image via e-mail or text, sell it, distribute it or publish it. An Importing Child Pornography arrest in Connecticut carries a maximum of 20 years in prison, $15,000 in fines and sex offender probation and registration.

There are a number of challenges that arise in Possession of Child Pornography arrests and Importing of Child Pornography arrests in Connecticut. For example, the computer found to hold the stored images might be a family computer with multiple users, which might make it difficult to determine who was actually storing any illegal images. The images might have been inadvertently downloaded due to deceptive or misleading file titles. In fact, a single video found on your computer can contain thousands of images resulting in multiple charges. Finally, a federal arrest for Possession of Child Pornography might also arise, especially if you are suspected of using or promoting a minor in a performance deemed to be obscene.

Human Trafficking Arrests in Connecticut

A national law enforcement campaign against Human Trafficking is underway in the United States. The crime is a Class B felony in Connecticut, codified in C.G.S. 53a-192a. As any of the top Stamford and New Canaan Connecticut criminal lawyers would agree, you can be arrested for Human Trafficking in Connecticut if you coerce an individual into an exploitative arrangement that involves sexual or labor activity for your benefit. The offense carries up to 20 years in prison and $15,000 in fines. Coercion is itself a separate crime in Connecticut that carries up to 5 years in prison. Human Trafficking arrests sometimes take place at or near Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun casinos near New London and Norwich courts, and usually arise from some kind of force or threat against individuals who have vulnerabilities, such as youth, or illegal immigration status. Victims of Human Trafficking can often be found working in massage parlors, online escort operations, or prostitution rings for very little pay and very long shifts. Click here for a full discussion of Human Trafficking arrests in Connecticut.

Sex Crime Arrest Penalties in Connecticut

The penalties for certain sex crimes can be as severe as 20 years in prison and $15,000 in fines. As the best Greenwich and Wilton Connecticut criminal lawyers attorneys fully understand, what sets sex crimes apart from other crimes are the additional sex-related penalties that accompany them, such as mandatory sex offender registration and probation. If you are convicted of certain sex offenses such as Statutory Rape or First Degree Sexual Assault, then you might be required to register your name, address, fingerprints and a description of your physical appearance with the Commission of Emergency Services and Public Protection, for a minimum of 10 years or a maximum lifetime term. Your identity will further be made public on the National Sex Offender Public Registry. As if this is not harsh enough, you might also be subject to a term of sex offender probation, during which time your Connecticut probation officer will visit you at home, audit your computer use, severely restrict your travel, and require you to report to the probation office weekly. Sometimes additional Connecticut sex offender probation conditions are imposed, such as education programs, lie detector tests and support group participation.

On the flip side of the offenses carrying harsh penalties are crimes such as prostitution or patronizing prostitution that carry far less serious penalties of a maximum year in prison and up to $2,000 in fines. However, these offenses carry quite a bit of negative publicity in online police blotters and online arrest reports, especially when they result from large-scale sex stings that publish the names of those arrested. Make no mistake—Connecticut police arrest “Johns” primarily to make an example out of them and deter other men from patronizing the sex operations such as massage parlors. An arrest for Patronizing Prostitution in Connecticut can therefore require a bit of damage control at home, at work and in your community. Thus, hiring a top Stamford Connecticut criminal attorney in these cases could help you keep your reputation intact.

Fighting Connecticut Sex Crime Arrests

While top Stamford and Fairfield Connecticut criminal lawyers are sometimes compelled to take a sex assault or rape case to trial, there are other options for fighting some of the less serious Connecticut sex crimes. For starters, the Accelerated Rehabilitation Program (“AR”) can sometimes be granted to first time sex crime offenders. Successful completion of the AR program results in your case being dismissed and expunged, as if you were never arrested. However, the program is only available to certain eligible defendants, and is rarely permitted in sex assault cases. Except in very limited circumstances, AR is generally not available for First, Second or Third Degree Sex Assault arrests. It actually can be applied for in a limited scenario of statutory rape when the victim is less than 4 years younger than the offender. AR can also be permitted in fourth degree sexual assault cases, prostitution charges, and patronizing prostitution arrests. Getting this program is by no means automatic—therefore it is a good idea to contact a top Bridgeport, New Canaan, Wilton or Stamford sex crimes criminal attorney lawyer to fully understand the options that are available to you. Even if you are not eligible for AR, your top Connecticut criminal attorney can help you prepare an aggressive defense, which is extremely important in this class of cases and can go a long way in getting your Connecticut sex assault case dismissed or reduced.

If your top Connecticut sex crimes attorney achieves a successful dismissal of your Connecticut sex crime arrest, then you should begin the process of restoring your reputation in the community. Due to the widespread use of the Internet to publish arrest reports online, restoring your reputation in the community includes trying to erase any trace of your arrest from cyberspace, where they are available for anyone to see or search for, be it neighbors, employers, friends of friends and faculty at your child’s school. The team of internet scrubbing lawyers at The Law Offices of Mark Sherman have led the charge in suing online media companies—both large and small—to get them to remove their clients’ online arrest reports form the internet. Click here for more information on how to remove your online arrest report from the internet.

Contact an Attorney at Mark Sherman Law

The team of Stamford criminal lawyers at Mark Sherman Law are ready to assist you in fighting your Connecticut sex crime arrest, whether it be a Patronizing Prostitution arrest in Stamford, Greenwich or Danbury, or whether it is a serious rape, sex assault of statutory rape arrest in Stamford, Greenwich, Milford or Danbury. Our focus is on results. We appreciate how damaging the stigma of a sex crime can be. Accordingly, we will work diligently with you to craft the most cost-effective defense for you and your family. So contact any of the Connecticut Sex Crimes Lawyers at the Mark Sherman Law today.

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